Are you ready to get your fingers and hands (even your clothes) dirty in exchange for a sumptuous serving of the famous Chilli Crabs? All the way from Singapore to the discriminating palate of the Ilonggos comes Clarke Quay Singaporean Cuisine at The Shops at Atria.
Chilli Crabs is a popular Singaporean seafood dish in which mud crabs are commonly used. They are are stir-fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli based sauce. Despite its name, chilli crab is not really a very spicy dish.
The restaurant's owner, Mr. Lee who was by our side suggested something to go with our Chilli Crabs - mantou or Chinese steamed bun. It was perfect to enjoy and finished off all the savory thick sauce but on its own the bread already tickled my palate.
But for Filipinos, what's a meal without a serving of rice. We had our Yangchow and Fragrant Rice (often the partner of Hainnanese Chicken) to go with the Chilli Crabs. Yet to enjoy more of the Chilli Crabs, just a plain serving of rice will do as the flavors wont mix in.
These Crunchy Baby Squid turned out to be my personal favorite and will be a must-order when I go back. I love crunchy squid to start with and with the mix of flavors, it just got better!
The San Bei Chicken also had it share of flavor explosion. There's got to be - with the combination of soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil (also my fave).
How about some Dragon Pork Ribs? Its a must since it's one of their best sellers - savory and delicious (redundant as it may seem but its just that). You gotta love those garnish - I wish one can also order a plate of those too!
Together with soda, this meal that was enough for three amounted to a little over than PhP2000. More than half of the bill went to the house special - chilli crabs, which was at PhP 1500/kilo. We only got 700 grams so it was "just" a thousand - and I only got to eat only a minor claw, since I'm no crab eater at all.
But it was all for a gastronomic experience - tasting an imported cuisine almost right at your door steps. And "Mr. Crabs" here would simply agree - two claws up!
The Shops at Atria
Atria Park District, Mandurriao, Iloilo City